This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for conducting a strongly exothermic, catalytically accelerated chemical reaction, wherein at least part of the thus-produced heat of reaction is removed by indirect heat exchange with a liquid.
In the operation of highly exothermic chemical reactions, a critical technical problem resides in controlling the heat of reaction liberated by the reactions. Thus, it was found that, e.g., the heat of reaction Q liberated during the methanization of carbon oxides with hydrogen with the use of a suitable catalyst, i.e. in chemical reactions taking place according to the reaction equations: EQU CO+3H.sub.2 .revreaction.CH.sub.4 +H.sub.2 O+Q
and/or EQU CO.sub.2 +4H.sub.2 .revreaction.CH.sub.4 +2H.sub.2 O+Q
becomes so high that considerable difficulties exist in process technology when conducting this reaction, especially if the carbon oxide concentration in the charge gas to be treated is relatively high.
To avoid these difficulties, specifically for controlling the heats of reaction liberated during these reactions, it has been known to dilute the charge gas to be treated initially by a suitable inert gas, such as nitrogen, for example. Due to this reduction in concentration of the reactants in the charge gas, it has been possible, on the one hand, to lower the increase in temperature caused by the chemical reaction, but, on the other hand, this mode of operation leads to disadvantagesly large and expensive apparatus. Additionally, after the reaction, the inert gas must be separated, which requires still additional investment and energy costs.
It is also conventional in conducting an exothermic chemical reaction, for example for the removal of methylacetylene and ellene from hydrocarbon mixtures by treatment with hydrogen under pressure in the presence of hydrogenation catalysts, to remove the heat of reaction in indirect heat exchange with water or with another coolant (DAS [German Published Application] No. 1,062,693). It has been found, however, that this process cannot be readily employed with highly exothermic chemical reaction for the removal of very large amounts of heat, especially at a high temperature level.